23 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT OKRO
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- Presently now in Nigeria, We are in the season of okro.
- In Nigeria, this vegetable is popularly known as okro while in some other countries, it is known as okra.
- It is because of its long and slender nature that okro is called lady’s finger in part of Europe.
- Okro comes in two colours: it is mainly green and the other colour is red. Both varieties taste the same and the red one turns green when cooked.
- Okro is a vicious/slimy vegetable.
- Okro is a flowering plant known for its edible seed pods.
- Okro has a mild flavour and basically absorbs the flavour of the spices and seasonings used in cooking it.
- Okro as a vegetable, likes lot of water and warm environment to grow well.
- Inside the okro pod are small, edible seeds.
- Okro is known for its slimy nature. The sliminess is known as mucilage or drawness.
- Okro is a very popular and delicious soup recipe that is loved by a majority of people in West Africa, especially if cooked well.
- Just like ogbono soup and ewedu soup, okro soup has a vicious texture which makes it a delicious soup.
- Okro is loaded with vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber and is more than just a food, but also a medicine.
- Okro can be used in making soups, sauces and stews.
- Okro as a vegetable, can be eaten raw.
- The entire okro plant is edible; the leaves can be used for preparing salads or cooking soups, and the pods can be fried, stewed, pickled, boiled or used as a thickener for soups.
- The Nigerian okro soup is very healthy and nutritious. It is high in protein, healthy fats and low in carbohydrates.
- Okro soup is one of the quickest and easiest Nigerian soups to prepare.
- Okro soup is also known as miyan kubewa (dried okro soup) in Hausa.
- Okro soup is also known as draw soup, okra soup or lady’s finger soup.
- Okro soup and ogbono soup are from the same family of draw soups.
- Okro can be used to cook the following soup recipes: okro soup, plain okro soup, okro soup (without oil), miyan kubewa, okro/ogbono soup and fisherman soup.
- Some health benefits of okro are as follows:
▪️It improves eyesight.
▪️It prevents diabetes.
▪️It relieves cough.
▪️It boosts digestion.
▪️It prevents constipation.
▪️It stabilizes blood sugar.
▪️It promotes colon health.
▪️It reduces risk of heart disease.
▪️It helps in weight management.
▪️It treats lung inflammation.
▪️It promotes healthy skin and hair.